Dreaming with a broken heart
by Tempest Rose
Summary: Now in high school, Ryoma just tries to get by one day at a time. Who would have thought that a broken heart could be so painful or destructive? First attempt at a yaoi so please be kind. Perfect pair with former pillar pair. Rated for cussing and lime.


**TR: This is my first Yaoi so please be kind. I heard this song and felt the urge to write a few songfics. The song and Prince of Tennis do not belong to me, so don't sue me. This will be Perfect pair with one-sided Pillar pair. The song is Dreaming with a Broken Heart by John Mayer, and I admit to taking liberties with the lyrics to fit the pairings.**

_Song Lyrics_

_When you're dreaming with a broken heart_

_The waking up is the hardest part._

Ryoma curled up in a ball on his bed; he really didn't want to get up today. Wondering if it was possible to die of heartache, the green haired prince bit back a whimper as he felt tears crawl over the bridge of his nose to fall on his pillow. Ryoma sighed as he felt Karupin butt her head against his back; the cat was obviously turning against him today.

_You roll outta bed and down on your knees_

_And for the moment you can hardly breathe._

Sitting up and rubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes, Ryoma knew he was going to be late for morning practice, but he just couldn't bring himself to care. He longed for the world in his dreams, the world where he and Tezuka were still together and happy. That had lasted less than a year before the stoic teen had left Ryoma for another one of his upper classmen, Fuji Syuusuke. It had been almost six months since he had caught them in the clubroom at the high school, six months since Ryoma had walked in on his boyfriend having sex with the lithe tensai.

_Wondering was he really here?_

_Is he standing in my room?_

_No he's not, 'cause he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone…_

_When you're dreaming with a broken heart_

_The giving up is the hardest part_

Ryoma still wanted to scream and cry when he thought about that day, it hurt so much to see Tezuka doing something with Fuji that he kept saying he wasn't ready to do with Ryoma himself. Now a second year in high school, he was so glad that there was only one more year of tennis with Tezuka and Fuji on the same team. Only one more year of looking at his Senpai and seeing them fucking on the locker room bench. Ryoma wasn't sure what hurt worse; having Tezuka tell him that they were over while the teen was still buried inside of his new lover, or being the wedge that destroyed the friendship of Fuji and Eiji. That had been a hard blow to bear, but Ryoma did take some relief in the fact that both the acrobatic boy and his doubles partner had sided with him instead of Tezuka.

"Heh, even now I still can't believe that Oishi-senpai hit Buchou like that. I guess it's just another friendship I ruined." Ryoma said ruefully, receiving only a tired yawn from Karupin as an answer.

_He takes you in with your crying eyes_

_Then all at once you have to say goodbye_

_Wondering could you stay my love?_

_Will you wake up by my side?_

_No he can't, 'cause he's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone…_

Ryoma descended the stairs slowly, smiling just a bit when he saw the Japanese breakfast waiting for him at the table. Truthfully he had thought about running back to America to finish his schooling after Tezuka had broken up with him, but he didn't. Ryoma knew it was partly because he was never the type to run from his problems, but it also helped that he had the support of his Senpais. Shockingly enough, the breakup had actually brought an end to the rivalry between Momo and Kaidoh. Seeing their precious Kohai in so much pain had forged a deep bond of friendship between the boys as they worked together to keep Ryoma together. The two had even begun to work out together in the mornings, and often ate breakfast at the Echizen household when they came to get Ryoma for school.

_Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh_

_Now do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?_

_Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?_

_Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?_

_Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?_

_Baby would you get them if I did?_

_No you won't, 'cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone…_

Walking out the door to see Momo and Kaidoh chatting amiably while waiting for him, Ryoma scoffed angrily at the pleasant weather. Was it too much to ask for the world to reflect the mood he was in?

"Hey Echizen, you doing ok today?" Momo asked as the smaller boy climbed on the back of his bike.

"Ha, I guess. Is it terrible of me to hope that I'll wake up at some point and find out that this has all been just a horrible nightmare?" Ryoma sighed as he leaned against the bag on Momo's back.

"I know it's hard Echizen, and it isn't fair that you have to see them together everyday, but it will get better. You know you have friends to support you, and you don't have to wait too much longer until they'll be gone. I still can't believe that Oishi-senpai hit Buchou like that." Momo chuckled at that last bit; no one had expected the mother hen of the team to have such a fierce right hook.

"Inui-senpai was telling me yesterday about a new juice he was coming up with that he would bring today. I'm sure he'll find a way to get Fuji and Buchou to drink it." Kaidoh remarked casually, though when Momo and Ryoma looked at him they could clearly see the mischievous glint in the viper's eyes.

Giving the running boy a watery smile and tightening his hold on Momo just a bit, Ryoma knew that the older boys would understand how grateful he was to have them as friends. Still, he couldn't help but wish the last six months had been nothing but a horrible nightmare that he would wake up from eventually. Sadly that was not the case, and Ryoma once again found himself trying to steel his heart as they arrived at the school for morning tennis practice. He just needed to survive, one day at a time.

_When you're dreaming with a broken heart_

_The waking up is the hardest part._


End file.
